Hurricane Lena
by TheDarknessIsTheLight
Summary: Lena returns to school after slowing healing from Macon's death, only to be bullied by Savannah and Emily.  Set after Beautiful Creatures.


Hurricane Lena

**Disclaimer: I'm not taking credit for the ideas, settings and characters developed by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl in Beautiful Creatures.**

**A/N: This was written after I read Beautiful Creatures; I haven't read Beautiful Darkness yet. Lena and Ethan are so perfect together, I had some trouble getting their reactions and connections to each other right. **

_ETHAN! ETHAN!_ She was screaming. She was in danger. _ETHAN! WAKE UP!_

_LENA?_

_Who else? Get up! Why aren't you at school?_ Her tone was annoyed now, and definitely wasn't in danger.

_What? Where's Amma? She always wakes me up…_

_Just get up; first period's in 20 minutes._

_20 minutes? You know Fatty's just going to stop me._

_Come on! I'm all alone…_

_Where's Link?_

_What are you talking about? He's right beside you._ How would she know that? Wait a second…Link is beside me…in my bed! I woke up screaming. I quickly scanned the room: nothing but me and my millions of shoe boxes. What a nightmare, I thought. Okay, so it wasn't as bad as what Lena and I had been used to for the last 6 months. But this is the first nightmare I had had since the claiming moon. I wonder when it'll start all over again, because Lena still hasn't been claimed.

"Ethan Wate! You better be getting your butt to school!" Amma called from downstairs.

I got up and headed to the bathroom; the dream and two words running through my head: CLAIM YOURSELF. I heard someone giggling in my head. Must be Lena, who else could it be? Ridley? No…don't want to think about her.

_Nice dream…I especially like the last part with Link._

_Whatever Lena, _I thought indignantly. It only made her giggle harder; at least she was happy today. _Where are you?_

_At home. Why?_

_You usually try not to…be there…_ For the past three weeks, she was either out in Greenbrier, my place or anywhere else. Just not anywhere where she would be reminded of Macon.

_It is pretty lonely, but I can't avoid it forever. Aunt Del agreed to stay here though, with Reece and Ryan too._

_That's good. I'd hate for you to have to stay all alone in that house…it still freaks me out._

"Ethan Wate! Don't make me call you again!"

Lena laughed, hearing what Amma said in my thoughts, _You should go. See you at school._

_You're coming to school?_ She hadn't come since her birthday, it was March 1 now. Almost three weeks had passed.

_Got to face them eventually._ She sighed, and then she was gone. She was still sad about Macon's death, but the more time she spent with me, the more she seemed to heal. I was glad she was finally ready to come. She was very brave for someone who spent most of her life with less than two friends. But she was so lost after his death. She wouldn't face me for days, until she finally gave in. I headed down to breakfast. Amma hadn't changed much through everything, and she refused to let me change who I was. But I did. I was a different person now. Not since the Claiming Moon, but from the second I met Lena in the rain. I was different.

Link honked. Amma stood up and said, "You better hurry to school, you hear? I don't need another phone call sayin' you were late!" I laughed and hugged her.

"That was at least 6 months ago, Amma. And I won't be late. Promise."

I ran out and jumped into the Beater. I realized that maybe Lena would want a ride.

"Hey can we pick up Lena too?" I asked him, turning down the awful blaring music.

"She comin' today?" he asked, turning the music back up a little. I nodded. Link knew everything, about how her uncle died, how she was a caster and how her mother was the most powerful dark caster of all time. She drove up to Ravenwood Manor, and Lena was just getting into her car. Or should I say her hearse? She looked up and saw us; she ran up to the car and hopped into the back.

"Hey!"

"Hey Lena, you feelin' okay now?" Link asked, pulling back onto the road.

"Yeah, much better." I could tell she was happy because she was wearing a red winter hat. Strange colour for her. But she definitely wasn't happy enough to wear the red sweater from when we had gone parking. I didn't know what to say to her, in front of Link anyways. I looked at her in the rear view mirror. She noticed and smiled, breaking into my thoughts again.

_I love you. _

I chuckled quietly to myself, _You just felt like saying that?_

_Yes._

_Then, I love you too._

_I know._

"Oh god, help me!" Link exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, kind of freaked that he heard our little conversation.

"Look." I could actually feel Lena's anger. At the front of the school was a large banner that was still being hung by Savannah and Emily. It read, "Welcome Back Lena!" I groaned as Link rolled his eyes.

"How could they have even known?" I asked.

"It's a small town, remember?"

"But I just found out this morning!" I said, looking at the storm clouds that were moving in. _Lena…_ I warned.

_I'm trying… _Then she said, "They didn't know. They've probably had the banner for a week, just waiting."

"They ain't worth it. Lena, ignore 'em," Link said giving Earl a fake grin though the windshield.

Lena smiled, "I always do; you know me!" I couldn't help but laugh.

We got out at Link and I pulled a reluctant Lena towards the doors.

"Can't we take the back door?" she asked trying to get free of our grasp.

"And let them win?" I responded. She stopped struggling. All of a sudden she was flocked by a bunch of girls in cheerleading uniforms. There was some squealing and saying welcome back. Savannah patted Lena on the back and there was a piece of paper left over. It said, "Witch." I ripped it off, quickly and threw it out before Lena saw. Savannah scowled at me. Lena was getting trampled, so Link jumped in doing his best impression of a cheerleader and managed to freak them out a bit. They backed away, so we ran for it.

"Thanks, Link," Lena muttered, "Ethan what was on my back?" I kept quiet. "Ethan?" she pressed.

"Piece of paper…said witch…" I mumbled. She rolled her eyes, but I could hear thunder roll across the sky. The bell rang and we headed to class. Lena had Music, I had Ceramics. I could hear her viola from the room; it filled my ears, with the melody and the words.

_Seventeen moons, seventeen years,_

_Eyes where Light or Dark appears, _

_Gold for yes and green for no,_

_Seventeen the last to know._

I couldn't help but think, _Here we go again._ She was back in my head now.

_I'm sorry, Ethan. I hate that you're being dragged into all of this._

_Don't say sorry L. I honestly don't mind. What I do mind is that you go through so much and these people still treat you the same. They have no idea._

_If only they knew…_ She thought it mischievously.

_What would you do?_

_Oh nothing, but they knew, they'd be scared and I'd have it over them._

_Really, Lena?_

_I wouldn't hurt them, Ethan. Doesn't the whole speech about wanting to be Light mean anything?_

_Yes. I was joking. Relax. Do you want to catch a movie or something tomorrow, Friday…you know?_

_Because that went _so_ well the last time._

_They have practice tomorrow, because of the game._

_Okay. Tomorrow._

_Great, I'll pick you up at 7._

Knowing that we had a date tomorrow kept me happy until lunch. Link sat with Lena and me and, as usual, we were alone.

"Hey Lena! Hey Ethan! Link…" Emily said, looking overly cheerful as she pushed herself between me and Lena. I heard another roll of thunder. I couldn't help but feel happy that she got mad when we were pushed apart.

_Lose the grin, Ethan._

_Sorry. Can't help it._

Link said, "What do you want, Emily?"

Emily rolled her eyes, "See now this is why I don't say hi to you."

"Oh yes, it hurts so much," I said sarcastically. Link laughed. Lena looked distant; I could see that she was trying to control the storm that was brewing outside. It seemed to be working but with every word Emily said, it got worse. Savannah Snow walked up and sat beside Link.

"Did y'all hear? Well obviously not, that's why I'm tellin' you; but I'm havin' a party tomorrow, in honour a Lena's return. My place, at eight; be there." She grinned sweetly and walked away. Emily stood up picking up her metallic purse, knocking down both of our trays in the process. Lena's soup spilled all over her pretty black top. Lena stood up, literally growling.

"Oh my…I'm so sorry!" Emily said smirking. Savannah laughed and they both walked off. People were starting to notice and laugh. If I was a girl, I would have gotten into the worst cat fight ever. Link and I told her to sit down, so she didn't attract more attention. She just looked at me with her big eyes that were filled with tears and ran out. I went after, hearing Link yell at the whole cafeteria to shut up. I knew I could count on him. I could hear the thunder now. The wind was getting stronger. She ran outside into the storm and hid under a tree. It was freezing and I assumed the water didn't make it any better. I ran after her and stood a few feet away.

_Lena…this is a hurricane…_

_I'm sorry!_ Fresh tears were pouring down her face. The rain may has well have been her tears.

_Lena…please don't cry… _

The wind was getting too strong now, and I was pushed back a few feet. I slammed into something hard: the wall of the school.

"Ethan!" Lena screamed. The wind got stronger. I had to convince her that I was fine, or we'd both die out here.

_I'm fine…Just make the wind stop!_ She closed her eyes and concentrated on happy and calm thoughts. I could hear what she was thinking about; it made me pretty happy since a lot of it had to do with me. The day we went first met, the time after I'd passed out in her house, the day we spent in her room on her birthday, and it went on. It finally stopped. The wind settled and the rain became a light drizzle. I realized I had scraped my hands trying to stop the wall collision. There was blood. Lena ran forward, looking at my hands. She put her arms around me.

"We'll be fine, Hurricane Lena…"

"Let's hope."


End file.
